Two large providers of waste
management services in the Bay
Area in California have settled
with the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for
numerous violations of the Clean
Water Act. California Waste
Solutions, a company that provides
waste management services for
large portions of Oakland and
San Jose will pay a $261,400
penalty. San Jose based scrap
metal recycler American Metal
and Iron, Inc, will pay a $45,000
penalty.

In September 2007, the EPA filed
complaints alleging that California
Waste Solutions had violated
its permit, discharging waste
and other pollutants into nearby
waterways at three facilities
during the previous five years.

In September 2008, the EPA had
also filed a complaint alleging
violations at two American Metal
and Iron, Inc. (AMI) facilities
in San Jose. Violations at AMI
include discharges of storm
water without a NPDES permit
and failure to comply with permit
terms after obtaining coverage.
Violations of the permit’s terms
include failure to monitor storm
water discharges and failure
to implement adequate controls
to prevent the discharge of
pollutants into nearby Coyote
Creek.

The Clean Water Act requires
waste management companies to
have controls in place to prevent
pollutants from being discharged
with storm water into nearby
waterways. They must have a
storm water pollution prevention
plan that sets guidelines and
best management practices to
follow, to prevent runoff from
being contaminated by pollutants.